Never Lose Faith
by SweetSouthernBlonde
Summary: Beth Greene has always tried her best to see the good in the world around her, even when the dead started walking again. After being taken from her friend Daryl, she wakes up with more questions than answers floating around in her head. All she really wants is to find her loved ones again, namely Daryl. But will she lose faith when the ugly reality of her situation sets in? Bethyl
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hey loves! So, this is my first time really writing a story to share with the public, and I would really appreciate any comments or constructive criticism. I really hope you all enjoy this Bethyl story. I'll try to update as frequently as possible, but it'll probably be more of a slow burn story. It will be rated T for now. Let me know if you think anything needs improvement! Thanks! *Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead or any of its characters.***_

_"Maybe you don't have to leave that. Maybe we could stick around here for a while. They come back...we'll just make it work," Daryl said in his gruff voice._

_Beth's attention fell away from the letter she had been writing and immediately refocused on Daryl's face. Had she heard him right? Daryl had never struck her as the type to put down roots anywhere. He was far more concerned with staying on the move and avoiding the dangers of staying in one place too long. Yet here he was, suggesting they stay at this old mortuary. _

_"I mean, it maybe nuts but maybe it'll be alright," he continued. His spoon clinked against the jar he was eating out of, and he tried to seem as nonchalant as possible. For a moment, Beth didn't even know what to say to his new proposal. It was so out of the blue. Then, a bright smile spread across her face, and she beamed across the table at him._

_"So you do think there are still good people around. What changed your mind?" she asked innocently as a lamb._

_"You know," Daryl replied. He gazed into her eyes, hoping she could see what he was trying to say without him actually having to say it. Heck, he didn't even know if it was physically possible for him to say it, but he wanted her to know. She was important to him. When he walked into the kitchen that night, he had no intention of letting her know this, but seeing her there scratching down a thank you note onto a dingy sheet of paper was all he needed to change his mind. This girl had the power to see the good in everything, and caring spirits like hers didn't come around that often. If anyone knew that, it was Daryl. He thought back to his childhood, remembering all the rotten people he had met throughout his life. When he saw a ray of sunshine like Beth, he could definitely appreciate it. There was no way he could let her go any longer without knowing how special she was to him._

_"What?" she giggled curiously._

_Daryl's stare became even more intense. He figured his actions the past few days were more than enough proof that he cared about her. Tracking lessons, hand holding, and piggyback rides weren't activities he did for just anyone. Just Beth. Then again, his experiences with women had never been anything like what he had with Beth. He usually didn't even want to associate with ladies aside from a few polite words, but she was different. It was like she was family to him now, or something along those lines. His eyes flashed with conflicted emotion, trying to show her his meaning. But how could he show her how he felt when he wasn't even completely sure himself? When he didn't see any signs of recognition pass over her face, he merely shook his head a bit and let out a little humming noise that was supposed to sound like "I dunno"._

_"Don't 'I dunno'. What changed your mind?" she asked once again._

_Daryl became even more frustrated, his feelings building up inside of him. It was now or never, he told himself. He had to just come out and tell her what all this was about. Yet the longer he sat there, the more impossible it became for him to do. In the end, he reverted to just staring deeply into her eyes again. He cursed himself inside his head for being such a wuss and not being able to simply conjure up words to convey what he meant. He could almost see Merle's teasing smirk and hear his chiding words. No matter what he tried, he couldn't make his lips move to let the words out. The stare only intensified. If she didn't understand by now that she was what changed his mind, he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Luckily for him, he saw realization suddenly hit her. She blinked her eyes, clearly taken by surprise at the whole situation. Her little pink lips slightly parted, drawing Daryl's tender gaze. Then, she said the only thing she could think to utter in a moment like this._

_"Oh."_

**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

Beth awoke with a start, the echo of her dream still ringing in her head. She hadn't dreamt in so long, the concept had become foreign to her. It was like cold water had been dumped all over her, stirring the electricity in her veins. Her pulse leaped as she stared at the ceiling above her, her body still attempting to deal with the rush of adrenaline that had awoken her. Her extremities tingled numbly after going without use for so long, and her labored breathing filled the air around her.

Though her body protested, Beth managed to sit herself up. Leaning back on her elbows, she groaned in pain as she felt the throbbing of her head. It felt as though it weighed fifty pounds atop her slender neck and shoulders. Carefully, she reached up to the spot just above her left temple, noting the swollen knot that had formed on her skull. Great, just what she needed. Another injury. Her hurt ankle, while it had improved, was still as much of a nuisance as ever. Purple colored bruises had begun to form around it, and it ached even while she sat. Beth hoped this was all just a part of the healing process. She certainly didn't need anything else holding her back in this screwed up world she was living in.

Her soft azure eyes scanned the room, noticing for the first time that she was in an unfamiliar place. The room she was in was stark and practically barren. The only furnishings were a wooden dresser and a small fold-up chair in the corner of the room. The beige walls surrounding her were suffocating, and the white cloth she had been laying on suddenly felt like scratchy wool beneath her body. Fear slowly crept into her eyes, causing her pupils to dilate.

_"W-where am I?"_ she wondered to herself. Thoughts ran rampant through her head as she tried to recall how she ended up in this strange place. It wasn't like she just teleported here out of nowhere. There had to be an explanation. Gradually, her mind wandered back to her dream. It was difficult for her to separate what was real and what was fictitious at a time like this, but she found herself believing it was more than just an innocent dream. It was reality. Or at least, it emhad/em been her reality.

Her head spun as she mulled over the idea of it all. Her and Daryl, sitting at the kitchen table, talking as if everything around them was good. It seemed unlikely, but not entirely impossible. She could practically feel the coarse texture of the paper underneath her fingertips as she scrawled words of thanks onto the note. She smelled the stench of pig's feet and peanut butter in the air, and his rugged voice filled her ears like a backwoods symphony. Just the thought of it all was comforting to her. She sat up a little bit more on the towel, wrapping her delicate arms around her knees and holding onto her elbows. She pulled her knees close into her chest and stared straight forward, her gentle eyes dancing with confusion. Only one thing didn't seem to make sense. It was the one thing that caused her to question the whole ordeal. Daryl's words, or rather, his lack of words.

In the dream, he had told her he was beginning to believe in good people again. Beth's heart fluttered with excitement just thinking about the archer starting to see what she had always seen. It was enough to bring a true smile to her face for the first time in ages. When she had asked him what changed his mind, though, he fell silent as a mouse. Beth, who had always been a naturally curious spirit, tried to pry the information out of him. That was when he gave her the look. The look that said more than any amount of words ever could. It opened a whole new gateway into his soul that she had never seen before, one that she couldn't even describe if she had all the words in the universe to do so. It was mystifying and shocking all at the same time, and Beth could feel her face heating up even at the thought of it. This was the last thing she had expected from Daryl Dixon, of all people. It just didn't seem logical that he would do something like that. He couldn't have possibly meant that emshe/em was what changed his mind, could he? It was all so uncertain to her now, leaving her mind in a tumble of disarray.

Suddenly, she let out a short gasp, her eyes widening like saucers. In her flurry of befuddlement, she hadn't even realized Daryl wasn't with her until that moment. The room only held one person, and that was Beth Greene. It was as though her past was becoming more and more convoluted by the second. She had never been on her own before, and everything within her told her that he wouldn't have just left her passed out in some room. The whole situation was just so suspicious. Regardless, all that mattered to her right now was finding Daryl. She wasn't sure she could make it without her favorite companion.

"Daryl? Where are you?" she called out to the empty space before her. Her worried eyes searched the room to no avail. No matter where she looked, he simply wasn't anywhere to be found. Had he gone out on a hunt? He was particularly fond of having his own time, she knew. Yet this time it seemed different. She at least would have thought he would wait for her to wake up before going out somewhere and leaving her in a strange new environment. He had always told her where he was going in the past so she wouldn't be concerned. Now, he was inexplicably missing. Beth felt a shudder run down her spine. Something about this was just...off.

Summoning what little strength she had left in her body, Beth managed to push herself up off the floor and onto her feeble feet. She balanced most of her weight onto her right leg, only putting a slight amount on the ball of her left foot. The last thing she wanted to do was contribute more to her injury, but she knew she had to get out of here to find out what was going on. It was only when she looked back down at the cloth on the ground that she saw it.

A gold embroidered cross. Her breath became caught in her throat as she stared at it in bewilderment. There on the cloth right where she guessed her head had been laying, the cross lay in its silken stitchings. Beth could hardly believe her eyes. The cross was nothing special, just a golden threaded shape on the surface of a bleak white piece of fabric. It resided towards the top of the cloth and seemed to burn into Beth's corneas. To her, it was simply hypnotizing. Blinking in awe, her mind tried to process what she was viewing. In the past, she had always considered herself a woman of faith. Lately, however, she had felt this faith waning a bit. After all, an apocalyptic world full of the risen dead wasn't exactly an environment that fostered religion. However, the cross could only be one thing in her mind - a sign from the Lord.

Gingerly, Beth eased herself back down onto the floor. Sitting on her knees, the dove-faced girl took a moment to behold the cross in silence. Gosh, it had been so long since she had sent her prayers up to the Lord. The idea of it all was almost frightening to her now. Her right hand trembled slightly as she reached out to touch the cross. It was smooth and delicate beneath her demure little fingers. As she exhaled quietly, Beth closed her sky-colored eyes and began to pray.

"Lord...I know you are there. I know you have always been there, lookin' out for me and my loved ones. That's how I've gotten this far. I'm sorry I've been so distant lately. I promise I haven't forgotten you, and it looks like you haven't forgotten me either. Please Lord, please just help me find them all again. Maggie, Rick, Judith, Michonne, Glenn...and Daryl. emPlease/em Lord don't let him be gone! I can't do this on my own. I pray that you'll be with me," she whispered to herself.

It took her a few moments to realize her tears had begun to flow. The salty streams poured down her face like tiny waterfalls. As much as she wanted to control it, the floodgates had already been opened and there was no way of closing them again. Soft sobs came from her quivering mouth and began to encompass her. It was all she could do not to completely fall to the floor and curl up in a ball. Everything was really starting to take its toll on her.

It wasn't until she heard the voice behind her that she realized someone else had entered the room.

"Wow. That was quite a beautiful prayer," the voice declared.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey again everyone! Thanks so much for all the support with this story, I always get so excited when I see people have viewed or followed it. :) This chapter is another Beth one, I didn't want to leave you hanging for too long after the last one. I promise Daryl will make his appearance next though! This really isn't an eventful chapter, but it had to be done for obvious reasons. So...yeah. :) Any suggestions for improvements are more than welcome, and I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**

Beth's blood froze in her veins when she heard another voice in the room. Her emotions had been so consuming that she let her guard down. She hadn't even sensed him open the mahogany door and walk in. Nearly falling all over herself, she whipped around to see a tall man standing in the doorway. His skin was like ebony, with eyes just as dark and deep to match. At the present, those dark eyes were watching her with concern, his lips stretching out into a hesitant half-smile. Beth felt her tears still spilling over her cheeks, though she was trying her best to cease her lamentation. There was no telling whether this unfamiliar man was trustworthy or not, and crying could be mistaken for weakness. If there was one thing that Daryl had taught Beth over the past few weeks, it was to be strong or at least put on a good act of being strong.

The man, however, didn't seem to be bothered by her display of sorrow. Rather, he seemed to expect it from her. He approached her slowly and extended his hand to help her up. His nervous smile was still spread across his face as he tried to put Beth at ease.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you," he said through his grin," I just overheard you praying as I walked by and figured I should introduce myself now that you are awake."

Beth looked at him expectantly as she waited for him to go on. It was apparent that he had hoped she would disclose her name to him first, but she merely looked fixedly into his eyes in silence. There was no way on Earth she was going to tell him anything about herself before she knew something about him first. Clearing his throat, he continued on.

"I'm Father Gabriel, and this is St. Anthony's church," he said with a gesture. Beth's drying eyes scanned the room, noting that it didn't look much like a church. There were no pews or podiums, just blank walls all around her. It seemed just like a regular room to her, nothing vast or special. However, it made sense to her as she thought about the embroidered cross beneath her hand. She had never seen a cloth like that except for in a church, and churches were certainly plentiful across the Bible Belt. For the first time, she also noticed the garments the man was wearing. The black shirt and pants with the telltale white collar of a preacher seemed pretty convincing. She let out a soft sigh, feeling more settled in the presence of a man of God. Did this mean he was trustworthy, though? She told herself she would have to make that determination later.

As if reading her thoughts, Father Gabriel spoke again.

"Don't worry, you're plenty safe here. I saved you last night, and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. The church is locked up tight. We shouldn't be having any problems with the dead tonight. If you want, you can even go out into the chapel. I know sitting in the back room of a church all day probably isn't very entertaining."

So that was why it didn't look much like a church, Beth thought. It was merely the back room of one. Her body let out a slight tremble at the thought of actually being on holy ground. She wanted to go out into the chapel and be free of this room that had caused so much initial confusion, but she acknowledged the fact that the man would likely want to get to know her some more first. Still, she wasn't comfortable letting a stranger know anything about herself, not even that she was an Aries or liked pecan pie for dessert. More than anything, she wanted an explanation for her foggy past right now. Father Gabriel, however, saw her swimming in her thoughts again. When it became clear that she wasn't going to speak without prompting, he let out another slight cough.

"So, what's your name?" he finally asked.

Beth pondered whether she should tell him her real name or not. On one hand, she knew absolutely nothing about this man. For all she knew, he might not even be a preacher. The outfit could be a ruse, and she could very well be a victim of his. Somehow, Beth didn't think that was the case though. Even if her instincts were wrong, what harm could a name do? If she wasn't telling him the truth, how could she expect him to be honest with her? Besides, Beth had never lied in church before, and she wasn't about to start.

"Beth. I'm Beth Greene," she finally said.

"Beth. That's an awfully lovely name. Of course, I guess it fits for a pretty little angel like you. Is it short for anything?" he replied warmly. His smile had begun to widen by the minute, showing off his surprisingly white teeth.

"Well, Elizabeth is what's on my birth certificate," she stated.

"Elizabeth, hm? That was my grandmother's name. Sweet lady, from what I can remember of her. She sang in the church choir every Sunday and never let anyone leave her house without getting one of her tight hugs. Stuff like that, that's what makes me miss how things were before. I would give the world if I could just hear her beautiful voice one more time," Father Gabriel said, trailing off.

Beth's heart ached for the man before her. She could tell by the distant, pained look in his eyes that he was longing for something that could never be again. It seemed like everyone had something to miss in this distorted society. Whether it was something as big as a loved one or as small as an ice cream cone, they were all lost in some shape or form. In her case, one person in particular came to mind. Though she was beginning to feel more comfortable with the preacher, she knew she wouldn't feel at ease until she knew where Daryl was.

"Speaking of the way things were before, I don't really remember much about how I got here. Can you tell me what happened?" Beth quietly asked. She tried to gulp down her fears, knowing that what he told her might not be savory knowledge. Yet whenever she thought of Daryl being out there somewhere, another large lump of anxiety formed in her throat.

Father Gabriel looked at her with surprised eyes, finally returning from his dreamland of unachievable desires. "You don't remember anything?"

Beth shook her head, meeting his dark colored eyes with her light ones. "Not really anything that makes sense. All I know is I was at the mortuary one moment, and then I am here."

"Hm," the preacher hummed, taking a moment to think about the past,"Well, I was driving back from a supply run into town when I heard a scream coming from the funeral home. I decided to take a little bit of a detour to see what happened, and I found you passed out cold on the ground by the road. Must've fallen on that ankle of yours and hit your head. Anyways, the place was crawling with the dead, so I brought you back here. Didn't wanna see anything bad happen to you."

"Oh. Um, I suppose that makes sense."

Beth's eyelids gently enveloped her eyes as she tried to recall any inkling of what happened again. Father Gabriel's answer had been a hesitant one, which didn't help his case of winning her trust. Her good-natured soul wanted to believe he was telling the truth, but she knew the only person she could really rely on was herself. Her memories.

She began to remember part of the past in bits and pieces. Like puzzle pieces filling the gaps in her mind, she was reminded that walkers had attacked the funeral home. It was complete chaos in her mind as Daryl's shouts filled the air and she scrambled to get away from the walkers. Rotting corpses were ambling around, gnashing their teeth at the sight of a fresh meal. They filled the house so quickly that almost every corner of the building had been filled in moments. She recalled yelling out to Daryl and his coarse response that he would meet her at the road. As much as she didn't want to leave him, she trusted his word. Within moments, she had found herself crawling out a window and racing across the forest floor breathlessly. From there, only empty holes existed in her memory. It was disheartening to say the least.

If her memories were accurate, Beth supposed the pastor could be telling the truth. After all, running to the road was the last thing she could recollect. Still, she was reluctant to ask him the next question that was on her mind. Her heart beat began to quicken as she continued on.

"It's still all such a blur. I, uh, was gonna ask one more question though. Was there anyone else there when you found me?"

Father Gabriel shook his head, looking out the left corners of his eyes. He had seemed to want to hold Beth's gaze up until now, but that had all changed with one simple question. Beth could tell by his demeanor that she wasn't going to like the answer he would provide. He let out an exasperated sigh before speaking again.

"Sorry, angel, you were the only one I saw. But by the way that place was swarmed, I wouldn't hold my breath that anyone within a 5 mile radius of that place could'a handled all of them."

"Are you sure? Wasn't anyone else there? I wasn't alone at the house, I remember. He was there too."

Gabriel ran one of his rough hands through his obsidian-colored hair. "Listen, I don't know what to tell you. All I know is what I saw, and there wasn't another soul in sight. Not another living one, anyways."

Unsatisfied, Beth resorted to giving him a nod of her light blonde head. Though she didn't want to believe Father Gabriel's words, the images of the walkers paraded through her head. There had been so many of them, she remembered. How could Daryl have handled them all? Beth wanted to punch herself for not staying behind and helping him. Maybe if she hadn't fled, she could have aided him in slaying the walkers. Guilt melted into her heart at the mere idea of it.

It was like the prison all over again. She had lost the only person left she had to rely on, leaving her to feel the crushing blow of loss once again. As if her father and the rest of her group being gone wasn't bad enough, now Daryl had to be gone as well? Beth fought to choke back the tears that were pining to break free once more.

Apparently, her efforts weren't very effective. Gabriel's eyes met hers once again as he slid his hand over her spine uncomfortably.

"Hey now, don't be upset. This world just has a habit of messing everything up," he softly said. Beth could tell he was struggling to be comforting, though his words only made her soul ache much more.

"Why don't I show you the chapel?" he continued,"I'm sure you'll love it. We extended and updated it just a few years ago. One of our parishioners even handmade the stained glass."

Beth nodded dejectedly. If nothing else, a change of scenery would be appreciated at a time like this. The darkness lingering in the air around her wouldn't easily be shaken away, but she hoped that maybe she could still find the light in the situation. Brushing her hair off her shoulders and back into her high ponytail, she slowly limped after Gabriel through the room's only door.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Happy 4th of July everyone! Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I keep getting called into work before I can post anything. Anyways, I hope you'll enjoy this one! I finally brought Daryl into the picture, which I was pretty excited about(even though I really wasn't looking forward to writing about Terminus). Let me know what you think! :)**

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauties! Time to get to work," a cruel voice called out from the door of the boxcar.

Daryl's sharp blue eyes shot open in an instant. There was no trace of sleep to weigh them down, though his body was aching from the previous day's events. His piercing gaze latched onto the man at the boxcar's entrance, who was now smiling wickedly at the group. If Daryl could have gotten up and strangled him right then and there, he knew he would have. No one talked to his family that way, he couldn't care less who they thought they were. The only thing stopping him was the armed mass of people looming behind the stranger.

"C'mon, we don't got all day," the scrawny man grumbled.

Daryl watched as the people he had come to think of as his makeshift family rose to their feet. Rick, Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, Carl, and all the rest gradually stirred to consciousness all around him. Personally, Daryl hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the night before. His mind had been seething behind his closed eyes all night, fantasizing about how he would take down every last member of Terminus when he got the chance. The only consolation to the hapless situation they had stumbled upon was that the prison group had been reunited with one another. Well, most of them anyways. Now, instead of being in the protected solitude of the penitentiary they had called home for so long, they were in a new kind of prison.

_"Safe haven, my ass,"_he thought grudgingly. It had been foolish of them to think something like this could be real. If it sounded too good to be true, it generally was, and Daryl scolded himself for walking straight into this trap. Ever since Beth had gone missing, his mind had been everywhere but where it should be.

She seemed to become the constant inhabitant of his thoughts. In some way or another, he always traced everything back to her. He cringed a little as he thought of how she had been taken from right under his nose. The scene replayed itself over and over again in his imagination. One moment she was there and the next she had disappeared. The burden weighed heavily on Daryl's shoulders, making his crossbow feel light as a feather in comparison. Such a warmhearted girl didn't deserve that, he told himself. He was supposed to be her protector, and he had failed miserably at his job. Now she was probably wandering the wilderness as a walker, or even worse. Daryl clenched his teeth as he tried not to think of what her captors had done to her. He had always been protective of everyone in the group, and Beth was no exception. Now as a prisoner at Terminus, he felt like he only kept letting the people who depended on him down.

"Hey, that means you too, princess," the Terminus man yelled, jolting Daryl out of his stupor. "Get on your feet, it's time to work."

Daryl grunted as he rose to his feet. His venomous eyes stared at the Terminus member(or "Termite" as he had determined to call them) with complete hatred. He had no idea what these people were up to, but he had a feeling he didn't want to stick around long enough to find out. Unfortunately for him, Rick and the rest of the group had agreed the night before to comply with their host's demands in order to get their guard down. That way, when the time came to lead a full-fledged rebellion, the Termites wouldn't be prepared. After last night, they were sure to be on high alert. As much as no one savored the idea of playing mind games, it was now a matter of survival. Daryl grit his teeth as he followed the Termite and the rest of his group out of the train car.

The sunshine stung Daryl's eyes as he emerged from the darkness, causing him to blink excessively for a few moments. The fresh air nipped at his weatherbeaten skin with a touch of harshness. Scents of cooking meat and industrial metal filled his nostrils, and the sounds of people at work echoed in his ears. So this was Terminus, he thought.

The Termites gathered to whisper amongst themselves, ending their little huddle with nods of agreement. Once they had finished their conversation, the lead Termite returned to speak with Daryl and the rest of the prisoners.

"Little boy, Samurai, and Feistypants are gonna go with Elaina," he muttered with a gesture towards Carl, Michonne, and Maggie. A blonde lady stepped forward and ushered for them to follow her. Daryl could see in the eyes of everyone in the group that they all wanted nothing more than to defy these orders. There was no telling where they were taking them or what they wanted them to do.

The Termite leader must have spotted their looks, for he let out a sharp cough and reminded them that "any insolence would not be tolerated".

Begrudgingly, the three followed the woman before them. Glenn's eyes locked with Maggie's in a sorrowful, yet determined gaze. Maggie's eyes filled with an emotion that Daryl was unsure of, though Glenn seemed to understand perfectly. Rick sent a supportive look in Carl's direction, and Michonne channeled a protective look back at Rick. She put one arm around Carl's back as they walked away. The tension in the air was palpable to anyone in the vicinity. Daryl had to remind himself on numerous occasions that he would have his chance to make them pay for anything they did to his friends. Until then, it was all about acting the part of compliant detainee.

Daryl watched from underneath his shaggy brown hair as the rest of the group was gradually split up. His fists were clenched tightly by his sides, yearning to defend the people he cared about. It was difficult for him to watch them all be split up so shortly after reuniting. Bob, Rosita, and Glenn were sent with another Termite after the original three. Sasha, Tara, and Eugene were the next to follow. After that, the only three remaining were Daryl, Rick, and Abraham.

"Alright then. Moustache, Ringleader, and Archer are all coming with me," the Termite leader announced. A smug grin spread across his face as he gestured for them to follow him.

Daryl's footsteps pounded against sturdy concrete as he trailed behind the man. He felt the same thunderous energy radiating from Rick and Abraham as he felt within himself. Uncertainty floated in the air all around them, and Daryl wasn't particularly keen on it.

It wasn't long before the four men reached the perimeters of Terminus. Pieces of wire and shotgun shells littered the ground all around them. Daryl noted a few large red blood stains from what he hoped were walkers scattered about. He also took note of the flimsy metal fence that lined the borders of Terminus where the concrete and the forest met. The fact that a large stack of bricks and other building materials lay right up against the fence wasn't very reassuring to him.

"As we witnessed yesterday with your...alternative entrance, these fences aren't enough protection for us. Living, dead, or anywhere in between, we only want people entering our haven through one doorway. You all have been tasked with fortifying the barriers by building a brick wall around our home. It shouldn't be too difficult. We managed to scrounge up enough materials to build up at least the southeast border, which should suffice until we gather the remainder of the supplies," the Termite man announced.

Manual labor was probably the last thing on the planet that Daryl wanted to do. His energy had been low ever since he arrived, and he definitely didn't want to spend any of it on a place he was so anxious to be free of. His eyes shifted from the building materials over to Rick and Abraham, who seemed to share his sentiment. He sent another detesting look towards the speaking man, although he seemed to pay no attention to it. His grating voice only continued to speak and annoy the living daylights out of Daryl.

"Remember, your job is important. This will provide security for all of us, and it's better for everyone if you cooperate. Whether you like it or not, you will be a part of us one day. One way or another. You might as well get used to it now."

Daryl rolled his eyes, feeling like a petulant teenage girl who wanted to disobey her parents. For a moment, the three prisoners stood like statues, looking incredulously at their director. Did he actually expect them to do this after how they had been treated?

The Termite man sensed their defiance and flashed his gun menacingly.

"Best get to work before sundown. You'll need all the time you can get before dinner," he sneered.

Against every fiber of his being, Daryl stormed over to the bricks and began to lay them evenly along the fence. Rick and Abraham followed suit. Mortar was just beginning to cake under Daryl's fingernails when he noticed a few Termites arrive to speak to the leader. Obviously, something unsavory had come up that needed immediate attention. The leader gestured in irritation back at Daryl, Rick, and Abraham.

_"Must be great being such a hot shot around here,"_ Daryl thought scathingly. He hated people who abused their power like this cruel jerk. Every time he came across one of them, he was only reminded of his father and the harsh "lessons" he had taught Daryl with his fists and belts. Anger flared within Daryl, causing him to fling the bricks down with less and less care.

He barely even noticed when the man who had been commanding them around left his post to tend other matters. His position was filled by a young girl, only about 20 or so Daryl guessed. The girl's eyes scanned over Daryl and his teammates briefly before she took a seat on a rickety plastic chair nearby. She slung her gun across her lap and spoke evenly to them, trying to sound tough.

"Just do whatever you've been doing and don't get any crazy ideas, alright? I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."

Rick glanced over at Daryl and Abraham. Each man gave a nod of understanding. Even if they were able to overpower the girl and escape, now would not be an opportune time with the group split up. They had to wait to take action when they were all together.

"Sure thing. We don't want trouble any more than you do," Rick spoke in his calming voice.

The girl's eyes seemed to brighten, and she gave Rick a brisk nod in return.

The three men returned to their work resentfully. Though it was still present, the tension filling the air slowly began to wane. Daryl stacked bricks halfheartedly for a while before he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

The girl sitting on the lawn chair reached into the bag she was carrying and retrieved a pen and a little yellow journal with daisies on it. Her focus on the gun dissipated as she opened the small journal and began to write. Daryl felt a lump in his throat as he watched her scribble down her thoughts. Her blonde hair draping around her face reminded him of another young blonde who liked to write in her journal. Beth.

He thought back to the time he had discovered her diary while they were living back at the prison. He didn't dare read it, though he had once asked her about the peculiar item.

"Why d'you keep this thing? Ain't no use in writin' things down nowadays."

Beth had simply looked at him with her big doe eyes and smiled.

"It isn't for negative thoughts, Daryl. It's for positive ones. You know, all the good things going on around us," she replied.

Daryl scoffed at her answer. Good things? What good things happened anymore?

Sensing his confusion, Beth continued on.

"For instance, I write about stuff like baby Judith coming into our lives, not..." she hesitated for a moment,"...Lori's passing. Only the good stuff. It helps me focus on the bright side, you know? And whenever I'm feeling a bit down, I can read my journal to see all the nice things happening around us and get my spirits up again."

Daryl gave a shrug, looking away from Beth. "Whatever floats yer boat, girl."

Though he didn't understand the point of her writings, he did enjoy the look she got on her face every time she opened the journal. Now, watching the blonde Termite jot down her ideas, Daryl couldn't help but think about Beth even more. A fire burned inside his soul again, the same one that always burned when he thought about how he let her down. It was positively infuriating.

The only thing to awaken him from his frenzy of thoughts was the sound of a familiar voice.

"Daryl Dixon? Well I'll be damned."

Daryl raised his head to locate the origin of the voice. On the other side of the fence stood a smiling older woman with gray hair. His pupils dilated as his mind registered who the voice belonged to.

"Carol!" he whispered in excitement. He took a moment to look back at the Termite girl, but she was so engulfed in her writing that she hadn't even noticed Carol's arrival. Daryl shot a glance at Carol which she immediately understood, putting a finger up against her lips to assure him she would keep quiet.

"The one and only, here at your service," Carol smiled cunningly.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey there everyone! I apologize for my lack of posting recently, life got a little bit crazy and writing had to be put on the back burner for a while. I hope to make up for it with the next few chapters though. :) As always, enjoy and let me know what you would like to see!**

Beth blinked her eyes as the sun's rays shone brightly through the stained glass. Father Gabriel had been right. His parishioner's handmade windows were truly exquisite. At least, she thought so from what she could see of them through the boards across the glass panes. A couple of the windows had been shattered in places, but there were still some that stood firm. Images of Jesus, doves, and crosses floated in the windows all around Beth. She took a moment to enjoy their colorful beauty before following Father Gabriel on his tour around the church.

The priest turned out to be a surprisingly hospitable host. He was eager to show her around when she emerged from the back room of the building. As he paraded her through the small church, Beth couldn't help but smile at the pride he exuded over his little haven. He had kept it remarkably intact considering everything going on outside those walls. The priest seemed to realize this as well, basking in his work as he escorted her to a front row pew.

"Sit here for a moment, I'll be right back," he said happily. Gabriel disappeared into another back room of the church hastily. She had only been sitting for a few moments when he returned. Sheets, clothes, food, water, and even perfume overflowed from his arms as he approached Beth. He gave her a pleasant smile as he set everything down next to her.

"I figured you might need a couple things to get you back on your feet. I've managed to gather quite a few items over the past few weeks. Since I have been by myself the whole time, I still haven't gone through everything. It looks like the Lord provided me with an abundance for a reason, though," he stated.

Beth looked with wide eyes at the array of stuff before her. It had been a while since she had nice clothes and warm coverings. Usually those things were passed over on supply runs in exchange for more important items, like food. With only one person to look after, Beth assumed Father Gabriel had room to indulge these luxuries. However, she was still a bit unsettled by his friendliness. Why had he even bothered grabbing women's clothing and perfume on runs when he knew he wouldn't use them? She looked at him warily as she asked her question.

"That's very kind of you. But I have to ask, what do you want in return for all this? I don't have anything to give you, and everyone who does stuff like this has a price."

Father Gabriel frowned, taking a seat next to her.

"Well Miss Beth, some people just wanna take care of each other nowadays. In fact, it's been pretty lonely being by myself for so long. I didn't think I'd ever see another living person again, so your company itself is a blessing. There's no catch, trust me. Don't you believe that there are still just some good people in this world?"

Beth's eyes flashed with hurt at the stinging comment. Her last conversation with Daryl had been about "good people". She recollected their little talks with a somber longing, wishing she could have done more to help her friend. His words echoed eerily in her mind. Before her tears began to fall again, she shook her head and looked back up at Gabriel. Judging by the look on his face, he knew that he had stepped into dark territory. Beth tried to soften her gaze, reasoning that he hadn't meant any harm with his statement. There was no way he could have known about her and Daryl's conversations.

The pastor shifted uneasily next to Beth. The lack of conversation was obviously making him uncomfortable. The little blonde's eyes scanned the room to find the one object that had piqued her interest above all. They landed on the pristine looking baby grand piano that stood next to the altar. Smiling, she looked over at Father Gabriel. In an effort to break the silence, Beth finally cleared her throat and spoke.

"That's a really beautiful piano you have over there. Do you play?" she asked, pointing at the piano with a slender finger.

Gabriel shook his head as his eyes began to light up again.

"Unfortunately I never learned how. We had a few members in the congregation who were extraordinary pianists, though. What about you, do you play?"

Beth gave a little nod, glancing back over at the piano.

"Yeah, I play a little bit. Nothing too fancy, just a couple songs here and there," she said.

"Is that so? Hmm...well it just so happens I have been staring at that old thing for days wishing that Mrs. Mercy Davis were here to play it again. Would you humor an old priest with a song, perhaps?"

"If you think you can stand to hear my rookie playing skills, I would be more than happy to play a song or two."

"It's all yours then."

Father Gabriel gestured to the piano expectantly. Beth stood up and meandered over to the piano bench. Her fingers were tingling at the thought of playing the instrument. She lifted the cover from the top of the keys and looked down at the black and ivory rectangles before her. They were so welcoming that she found herself sitting at the bench within moments, gently stroking the delicate keys. Her fingertips glided over the surface of them carefully as she began playing some of her favorite songs. She reminisced fondly over her selection of church hymns that her father had taught her long ago. It was easy for her to lose herself in the music, even in her current situation. She found herself singing once again in a lighthearted voice that lifted just over the notes she was playing. She was able to sneak a glance at Father Gabriel in between notes, and each time she caught him with a twinkling look in his eyes. It was delightful to feel like she had actually done something to lift someone else's spirits.

Beth tried not to play too long or too loud. She most definitely didn't want to attract the attention of anyone or anything to the church. Though Father Gabriel had assured her it was safe, she refused to let herself get too comfortable anywhere anymore. When she finally stopped playing, the priest rose to his feet and clapped his hands together like he had just witnessed a remarkable opera.

"Bravo! I believe even Mrs. Mercy Davis would have had trouble topping that. Don't tell her I said that, though," he said with a joking wink.

Beth managed a small smile at the comment as she returned to the pew. Though she was itching to play more, she told herself she would have to wait until later for that. The pew made a slight creaking noise as she sat down on it. Gabriel remained on his feet, looking out the stained glass window on his left.

"It appears to be getting darker outside. Must be about nighttime. I'll probably turn in shortly, I usually sleep in the back office. You're welcome to walk around and pick a room for yourself. The pews also make nice sleeping spots, or so I witnessed from some of the congregation who found my sermons boring. All I ask is that you not open the windows or doors. Understood? I have most of them boarded up except for the main entrance. We keep that secured from in here. I just don't want to risk any...incidents."

Shrugging, Beth agreed with the pastor. Compromising the building's safety was in no one's best interest. Gabriel seemed to be relieved by her agreement as if he had worried that she would try to leave in the first place.

"Excellent then. If there's anything you might need, just let me know. Perhaps we could go out this week and search for more supplies if you are feeling up to it. Sound good?" he asked.

Beth rubbed the knot on her head again and gave her ankle a tiny twist. With any luck, her injuries would be better by the end of the week.

"Sure thing. I'll help any way I can," she replied.

Satisfied with her answer, the priest flashed another smile at the young blonde.

"You have a good night, angel. See you in the morning," he said. With that, he turned on his heels and went back in the direction from which he retrieved her supplies.

For a moment, Beth sat restlessly on the pew. She knew sleep would be beneficial for her, but she had just awoken from the deep slumber that brought her here. There was no way she could even think about going back to sleep anytime soon. Instead of resting like the priest was going to do, she decided to take a tour of her own around the church. It couldn't help to become more familiar with her surroundings.

She stood up on her thin little legs and began to meander around. She wove in and out of the pews, examining the Bibles and hymnals that resided on the back of the wooden structures. The stroll through the seats brought images of people worshipping joyfully to Beth's mind. She pictured Father Gabriel preaching fervently as his congregation paged through the Bibles before her. She could practically hear the ghost of a few people shouting "Amen!" at his speech. Families like her own must have gathered here each Sunday morning and enjoyed time with one another, she thought. It was nice to imagine what this place must have been like in its heyday.

After walking around a bit more, she made her way over to a large candelabra towards the alter. None of the candles were lit, but she wished that they had been. Candlelight was always so warm and comforting to her. She bent down to sniff the candles and discovered they were scentless. She hadn't expected them to have a real aroma or anything, but she didn't even detect the faint scent of smoke that generally lingered around candles. They must have been sitting idle for a while.

"_Maybe I can see if Father Gabriel still has some matches lying around_," she thought. The priest hadn't specifically told her not to light the candles, and she doubted he would mind.

Looking over to her right, Beth spotted a small table with a single drawer over by the podium. It seemed like a possible place for matches to be stowed. It wasn't like there were too many places for them to be hiding in the church.

She walked over to the table, noting its dark wooden appearance seemed to differ from the rest of the furniture in the building. While the pews and other accents were a light oak color, the table was a dark cherry wood. Beth grasped the handle on the drawer and pulled it open.

Inside, there wasn't anything to light the candles. No matches, no lighter, nothing. Beth's lower lip pouted a little in disappointment. However, she did discover a beautifully bound copy of the Bible. The words "Holy Bible" were written across the cover in gold lettering and designs in matching gold font swirled all around it. Beth brushed her fingertips over the cover gently, feeling the book's smooth texture. She lifted it from its niche, noting that it felt much lighter than she imagined it would.

Beth thought she had never seen such a beautiful Bible as this one. Even back at her home parish before the walker infestation began, her pastor had just used the Bibles that everyone else in the church used.

"_Perhaps a little bit of reading would be nice. If I even remember how to, that is,_" she thought to herself. She pushed back the cover of the book to read, expecting passages of Bible verses to be awaiting her. That, however, was not what she found.

The interior of the book had been hollowed out, creating a small recess inside the pages. If the book had been closed, no one would have even been able to tell from the exterior. The edges of the pages were still intact with a few stray words floating across them, yet the middles of those pages were completely absent. In their place lay several Polaroid pictures stacked on top of one another. Beth's eyes widened and she let out a soft gasp at the sight of them. She recognized the face on top of the stack.

It was the walker she saw on the table at the mortuary. It lay peacefully with its arms crossed over its chest, seeming to pose for the picture. Underneath the photograph itself was a name written in black Sharpie. "Joshua Motlow" it read. Beth stared at the dead man's face in shock. Where had these come from, and why had someone taken pictures of these people? She took the picture out of the Bible, setting it aside to look at the others.

One by one, the young girl found more of the same strange photos in the book. "Jennifer Garrison". "Ray Thornton". "Mikayla Quinn". The names began to blur together as she uncovered more and more of the pictures. All of the people were walkers dressed in nice attire with their arms folded ceremoniously over their chests. The dead faces began to burn into Beth's vision, leaving her confused and speechless.

Before she reached the end of the stack, she closed the Bible and returned it to its resting place. Obviously someone didn't want these found, and Beth tried her best to put everything back exactly as it had been. Her fingers trembled a little as she closed the drawer, unsure of what she had just found.

Beth numbly walked back over to the pew she had been sitting in. She had been taught as a child how to sit in church: back straight, feet on the floor, eyes forward, and ears listening. Now it all seemed so irrelevant. She put her feet up in the pew and hugged her knees in close. Her spine slumped and her eyes glazed over as she reflected on her situation.

Was Father Gabriel the one who had taken those pictures? Taking photographs of dead people seemed to be an awfully strange hobby for a priest to entertain. Beth tried to reassure herself that it was someone else's doing, regardless of how much her reasoning told her otherwise.

"_Who exactly is this Father Gabriel, and what's on his agenda_?" she wondered. Somehow, she sensed there was more to his story than he cared to share with her.

Beth closed her eyes, praying that everything would turn out alright. Whatever he was hiding, she hoped he had a decent reason for it. After all, he was a priest. What dark motives could he possibly have? Trying to steer away from any speculations, Beth quieted her thoughts until she felt numb again, staring at the piano across the room.

"_I know it's all gonna be alright. Nothing is wrong here. Just...misunderstood_,"she told herself. Immediately after though, she got down on her knees to kneel by the pew. It wasn't right to lie in church, she determined. Even if it was just to yourself.


	5. Chapter 5

The cold, sturdy ground pounded under Daryl's footsteps as he walked through the forest. Relief, fatigue, and adrenaline all coursed through his veins at once. It was over, he thought. Terminus was gone, blown to bits in an earth-shattering explosion. He had to admit, its demise was a rather magnificent one. That place didn't deserve to go out like a scene from one of his favorite action movies, he thought. It deserved to burn slowly forever, not just be gone in one blast. Terminus had been the bane of his existence for the past few weeks, but he was relieved to finally know it was gone. After the Termites had tried to eat Tara, Rick and his crew had known it was time to take a stand.

It had only taken a couple of days to make escape arrangements with Carol. After the first reunion, Daryl had made it a priority to concoct a plan with her. She was their saving grace. Each day when Daryl went to work on the barriers, Carol had met him eagerly in the same place. Sometimes she even brought Tyreese with her, although he was a bit riskier due to his large stature. Once Rick or Abraham had found a way to distract whoever was guarding them, Daryl and Carol had worked out all the details of the escape.

The sharp older woman had absolutely no trouble finding the buried bag of weapons after the shaggy archer gave his careful directions. Once the weapons were back in the possession of Rick's group, well, it wasn't long before the tables had turned in their favor. While the group wanted to spare as much bloodshed as possible, they all recognized that Terminus couldn't be left standing. If it were, more innocent people would only be lured in like they were. After threatening the surprised Terminus crew with their impressive stash of weapons, the group was free to roam the grounds as they pleased. Glenn had been the one to uncover the gasoline and other explosives in a nearby garage. Daryl didn't even want to know what the Termites had been planning to use it for.

Regardless of the intentioned use of the flammable substances, they were used instead to set fire to the false sanctuary. No one from the prison group knew what exactly happened or if anyone even made it out alive. They had gotten as far away as possible after the initial explosions and had left nature to do the rest. Anyone in such a communal group as Terminus wouldn't be able to survive very long out on their own.

Now, Daryl and the rest of the group were trudging through the forest looking for shelter. If they didn't find somewhere by nightfall, their odds of encountering danger were exponentially increased. It didn't help that the explosion at Terminus would likely draw the walkers in. Trees seemed to surround them at every angle. Not a single building was in sight, only more greenery and a few glimpses of the sky here and there. Daryl looked back at everyone following him. Several pairs of weary eyes met his as he noticed their labored breathing and staggering steps. Carl in particular looked exhausted, having insisted upon carrying Judith the whole trip. It was heartwarming to see the boy taking care of the sister he believed was lost long ago, yet it was also unwise of him to wear himself out like that. Daryl approached the young boy and outstretched his arms.

"Why don' you let me carry lil' Asskicker for a while?" he asked. Daryl had always been fond of the young girl. After she was born, he saw hope of a better future in her sweet baby eyes. The two shared an unspoken, innate sense of understanding one another, even though Judith was a tiny infant and Daryl was a large hunter.

Carl gave Daryl a leery look. Though he trusted the older man, he wasn't eager to relinquish his little sister just yet. Daryl saw the stubborn look in Carl's eyes and rolled his own.

"Look, you ain't doing her or you any good if you wear yourself out by carryin' her. I'll give her right back after you get your strength back up," he grumbled.

"But I want to look after her! She is emmy /emsister after all. I never want to lose her again. You don't know what it's like to have someone just disappear like that. It makes you feel helpless, like you should've done something to prevent it," Carl replied resiliently.

Daryl's face flashed with pain. Whether Carl knew it or not, he emdid /emknow what that was like. It was one of the most awful feelings on the planet. He began to think back to his last conversation with Beth. As they sat at the table, he recalled feeling a strange emotion bubble up inside him. She just kept sitting there, acting like nothing had changed, but he knew that somehow it had. After getting to know her, Daryl realized that Beth was important to him. She was more than just some babysitter or little girl. He felt like no one would understand him like Merle did until Beth proved him wrong. Somehow, he knew what he had with Beth was entirely different from what he had with Merle, but he wasn't quite sure how. His feelings were so confusing, he couldn't even find the words to express them to her, even though he desperately wanted her to know she played a vital role in his life. He truly appreciated her, yet he never got the chance to let her know that before she was stolen that night. He still wasn't sure he ever felt so inadequate in his life as when he saw her being whisked away. Looking at young Carl now, he reflected his sentiment.

"I know exactly what ya mean, kid," he muttered.

"Really? But...you've never really been close to anyone. Have you? I mean, you kinda strike me as a loner."

Daryl gave a quick shrug. "We all got people we cared 'bout who we lost. They're jus' gone and ya don' know where they went. Feels like shit when ya can't protect 'em. You'd rather trade places with 'em than live with yerself knowin' ya failed 'em. But when they're gone...ain't much you can do sometimes."

Carl gave an affectionate glance down at Judith, nodding understandingly. He placed a hand under her head to hold it steady as he held her out towards Daryl. The redneck took the cue, scooping up the child in his muscular arms and cradling her like a newborn kitten. The sight of such a coarse man with a darling little baby would have been almost comical if he hadn't been gazing at her so tenderly. Carl shook his arms out in relief, finally realizing what tension had been building up as he toted his baby sister along. He began catching up with the remainder of the group when he suddenly turned around, facing Daryl once more.

"Hey Daryl?"

"Hm?"

"I hope you find whoever you lost. Don't lose faith. I mean, look at Judith. She found her way back. Maybe yours will too."

Daryl gave another shrug, attempting to appear apathetic. Carl merely grinned and bobbed his head before turning to follow at his father's heels.

Daryl looked back down at the fragile infant in his arms. Judith let out a soft coo in her sleep, stirring slightly against Daryl's bicep. The tough as nails archer felt his rigid emotions melt into a softer mold. Just looking at the child made him feel more at ease. Yet she also reminded him of Beth.

He wondered how the vivacious teen girl would have reacted if she knew he was holding Judith in his arms again. He imagined her face lighting up as she held her arms out to snatch the baby from him. She had always been attached to Judith, even from the get go. While they lived at the prison, she had served as her caretaker. Daryl knew the bond between them was something special. Beth had served as the little one's surrogate mother after Lori's death. She selflessly looked after the child with practically no regard for herself through the days and nights. Daryl had always thought that she deserved someone to look after her, too.

When it came down to it, he hadn't even been able to protect her from those people in that car. He remembered how he felt when she was taken from him in that cursed old vehicle. The ground had thundered under his feet as he chased after her, calling her name out long after he knew she was out of earshot. Air forced its way into his lungs, despite the labored pattern of his breathing. It wasn't until he reached the crossroads that he felt his true despair kick in, collapsing on the road in front of him.

That was it. That was the first time Daryl felt truly alone in all of this. The first time he felt like there was nothing left to go on for. He would have been content laying there for weeks for all he cared if it hadn't been for Joe and his group showing up.

"Those damn men..." Daryl muttered under his breath. Quickly remembering the sleeping infant he was holding, he refrained from saying anything more about the twisted group. They weren't even worth his words.

What bothered him more though was the sheer fact that he had given up on finding Beth. He should've ran until his muscles turned to Jello and his heart became arrhythmic. If he could go back, he would have gone any direction in the hope that it might lead him to Beth. Not just sit there as another group claimed him as their own, molding him into something he never wanted to be again. Beth had shown him that his past didn't define him. He could be anyone he wanted in the future.

Right now, the only person he wanted to be was the person that found Beth. She had saved him once from himself, and he was dead set on rescuing her from whatever situation she was in now. The only good thing that had come out of this whole ordeal was that he reunited with Rick and the rest of the gang through their mutual misfortunes. If anything, this proved that it wasn't impossible to find people again. It never would be.

Rocking Judith steadily, Daryl caught up with the rest of the group ahead of him. He hadn't intended to lag behind, but reminiscing had a funny way of diverting his attention. As he approached Rick's side, he noted that his lingering hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Glad you finally caught up," Rick chuckled," I guess my daughter has a way of making anyone the caboose."

Daryl smirked as he kept rocking Judith in his arms.

"Yeah, I 'spose so," he replied.

"You wouldn't think shelter would be this difficult to find out here. I guess that was a major appeal of Terminus," Rick stated.

"Guess so. Glad we're finally out of that shit hole."

"Kinda ironic that they're the ones on the barbecue now, isn't it?"

Daryl let out a grunt of amusement at that. He and Rick exchanged brotherly glances of gratification at one another as they walked along at the front of their crew. Silence resounded in the air around them as the minutes passed by. Daryl ended up passing Judith off to Tara, who had been eagerly waiting to hold the baby ever since they left Terminus. She mentioned something about her little niece, but Daryl didn't pay much attention to her. He had more important matters on his mind. Eventually, he gathered up the courage to finally voice his concerns.

"So uh, what's the plan? Where we goin'?" he asked Rick.

"Wherever there's shelter for now. After that, I guess we'll figure it out. Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene mentioned going to Washington. If everyone else feels the same way, we might go along with them."

"What about...Beth?"

Rick raised an eyebrow. Daryl had never really elaborated on what became of Beth. This was the first time he had mentioned her since their first reunion.

"What about her? You think she's still out there?" he replied,"I know she is. She's gotta be. Someone...took her back before ya found me again. I don' think she's dead. Jus' missing. And I wanna find her."

"Daryl, it's been a while since all that happened. She could be anywhere by now, there's no telling what happened. You might not be happy with what you find out. I think it would be best for the group if we kept going and made a new game plan."

Daryl's face twisted into an unrelenting grimace. He was right about to protest to Rick's opinion when he heard footsteps approaching. Leaves crumbled underneath Maggie's boots as she looked at Daryl with wide eyes.

"Did I hear you mention Beth? Is she alive? What happened, Daryl?"

He looked at her with regretful eyes, wishing he had more answers for her than he could give, that he could soothe her already burdened soul with words of comfort of her sister's whereabouts. Glenn approached behind his lover, and soon the rest of the group had gathered to hear about one of their own. Everyone's ears perked up as they listened to Daryl relay the tale of what happened to Beth. Once he had shared all that he could remember of that night, no one uttered a word for a while. A few solemn tears were shed by some, while others developed a fiery look in their eyes. Only Maggie seemed to embody both of these emotions.

"I don't think there's any question, then," she announced," If there's any chance my sister is alive, we've gotta find her!"

Rick shook his head, gesturing with his hand for Maggie to calm down.

"Listen, I know everyone wants to find Beth. I do as much as anyone else, but we can't go on a wild goose chase looking for someone. We don't even know where to begin looking for her."

Daryl could barely remember a time when he resented Rick's leadership, but in that moment, he felt his blood turn hot as it pulsated within him. She wasn't some replaceable girl, she was a girl worth saving. Daryl repeatedly cursed himself once more for being such a fool and not going after her earlier. He didn't care what Rick said, he was going to find her, with or without help from anyone else. It was about time he made up for his mistakes and shortcomings from the past.

"But she's my sister!" Maggie piped up.

"I'm sorry Maggie, I just don't think it's in everyone's best interest. I think we would be better off going with Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene to Washington. I know we weren't going to decide until later, but since the question has been brought up, I suppose we should figure this out now."

"C'mon Rick, we should at least try to find 'er," Daryl said protectively.

"Daryl, I understand you feel like you are responsible for losing her, but Beth is much stronger than you give her credit for. She can handle whatever situation she's in. If we come across her, we'll welcome her back with open arms. I just don't think we need to actively be searching for her and endangering everyone else."Daryl let out a huff, his gaze burning into Rick's. If anyone understood what it was like to feel responsible for others, Daryl thought it would be Rick. Apparently he was wrong. Before more words could be exchanged, Abraham stepped forward to throw in his stance on the issue.

"You all know how grateful we are to you after everything you've done, especially back there at Terminus. No matter what you decide, Rosita and I will be taking Eugene to Washington, though. Ideally we could all stay together for this. If you want my opinion, I think that Rick is right, it would be more beneficial if we all stuck together. We've all lost someone at some point, but that doesn't mean we should risk the safety of the people we've still got."

Maggie stepped forward to protest, but Glenn placed a mollifying hand on her shoulder. She brushed his fingers with her own, her gaze now downcast at the ground. Daryl, however, was not so easily pacified. He strode forward to stand face to face with Abraham. Their faces were parallel with one another, so close that each could hear the pattern of the other's breathing. Intensity locked the gazes of the two men in a battle of dominance. Daryl was the first to speak.

"You do what ya gotta do, but you don't go tellin' this group what's best for everyone when you ain't even really one of us. You don' make these decisions."

Daryl scanned the hulking man before him with harsh eyes. He took a few steps back before adjusting his crossbow on his shoulder and speaking again.

"And she ain't just 'someone we lost at some point'. She's Beth."

Before Abraham could fire back, the forest became alive with the sounds of moans and guttural noises. The sound of dragging limbs through the brush of the forest was audible as the creatures drew closer. The scent of rotting flesh pierced the environment, and putrid faces could be seen at a distance. The signs of hunger were painted across every one of the faces, and the members of the prison crew looked like Happy Meals to their starving souls. Alone, the walkers weren't much of the concern. The fact that they were traveling in a pack much larger than that of the Terminus escapees did pose a threat. Weapons were drawn at first as they tried to fend them off, but there were too many of them.

"Follow me!" Rick called out as he fired a few shots over his shoulder. He began running the opposite direction of the hoard. Walkers began to spill over the edges of the hills, causing the survivors to weave in and out of the decaying beasts as they tried to keep up with one another. Noticing Carl lagging again, Daryl shot a few arrows behind him at the closest walkers. The least he could do was fend them off as much as he could. Carl shot him a grateful look. Tara seemed to be sprinting quite well for a woman holding a baby, and Bob stabbed a few of the dead monsters as Sasha ran ahead of him. Carol nimbly maneuvered around the carcasses, occasionally turning to shoot a few in the face. All around him, Daryl saw his friends fighting hard for survival. He knew they couldn't keep this up. There had to be somewhere nearby where they could take refuge. He was just about to lose hope when he spotted a large white building in the distance. It resided quaintly in a small clearing with a thin gravel road that ran by it. Rick apparently had spotted it too, motioning for the others to keep following him. It wasn't until they got closer that Daryl realized it was a church.

"Of course," he grumbled in his mind.

Walkers began to pour out of the forest into the clearing as the group climbed the steps to the church's entrance. A few stray shots were fired at the walkers, but most of the bullets never met their targets. As the mass of undead surged closer, Rick tried opening the door to the chapel. He let out a few swears as he heard the jostling of a deadbolt, among other blockading sounds. The door simply wouldn't budge.

"Locked! Of course it would be!" he shouted angrily.

The herd was now too close for the gang of survivors to make a break for it. By the time they made it off the porch, they would merely be diving into the heart of the mass of dead people. Rick raised his gun, instructing everyone to make this worth something. As they all began taking aim with frightened faces, they suddenly heard the noise of doors opening behind them. Standing in the doorway stood a blonde, dove-faced angel. Daryl gulped at the sight he had feared he might never see again. As each person stood there shocked, the petite blonde motioned for them to enter the building.

"What are you all doing? Get in here now! Come on!" she urged.

The startled group did as they were told, hastening into the building. Daryl was the last to leave his state of shock, just barely making it into the Lord's house as they slammed the doors in the faces of the walkers. All that was playing through his mind like a broken record player was one word.

"Beth."

**A/N: Finally! I know it took forever, but I'm happy to say that the group is reunited with Beth. :) This chapter was difficult to write, but I'm pleased with it overall. I didn't want to go through all the boring details of the Terminus escape, so I tried to condense it as best as I could haha. I really wanted to focus on the character's interactions more. Anyways, end of commentary on the story. As always, review, favorite, follow, and enjoy! :)**


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